Disclaimer:

Although we carefully consider which websites we link to, Childbirth And Parenting Educators of Australia, inc. (CAPEA) is not responsible for the information contained on the website you are about to enter.

If you use another site linked from this site, you do so at your own risk and acknowledge that CAPEA does not control or endorse those websites or their content, and that you will no longer be subject to the terms and conditions of this site but may be subject to the terms and conditions of the linked site.

This website does not endorse products or services. CAPEA does not promote private or commercial interests, however links to private or commercial sites may be listed to provide a range of information for viewers. This website has been created to provide unbiased, reliable information to support childbirth and parenting educators in their research for professional development.

Please contact us if you know another helpful link that could be placed here, or if any of the following links are no longer functioning or current.

Healthy Start Parents with learning difficulties can parent well, but it is important that they receive the right support and education matched to their learning needs. Healthy Start is a national Australian capacity building strategy which aims to improve health and wellbeing for children whose Children have learning difficulties. The website contains practical resources to support practitioners and parents.

Raising Children Network Australian resource for parenting newborns to teens, including caring for the parent relationship and birth choices; has many short and practical you-tube videos, podcasts, fact sheets and articles on a wide range of topics.

Journals and Publications related to Childbirth and Parenting Education

The International Journal of Birth and Parenting Education is published in the United Kingdom and aims to provide all practitioners working with mothers, fathers and families across the transition to parenthood (from pregnancy to when the baby is two years old) with the following:

Up-to-date information about:

The multiplicity of factors affecting the development of the unborn baby

Factors affecting the mother's, father's and baby's wellbeing during labour and birthow the relationship between mother and father changes across the transition to parenthood

How the infant (and child) develop intellectually, socially and emotionally

Brief, accessible summaries of research in all of the above areas

Best practice ideas for educating and communicating effectively with new families from all backgrounds, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, culture and family constitution, in the antenatal and postnatal periods, either in one-to-one sessions or in groups

Best practice ideas for setting up and running support networks for mothers, fathers and young families

Third sector organisations active in the field of parent education and support

The Journal seeks to ensure that there is no gulf between theory and practice. It seeks to help all practitioners acquire an accurate, up-to-date knowledge-base, and learn about proven strategies for helping new mothers and fathers be the best possible parents for their children.

The International Journal of Childbirth Education is published in the USA and is a peer-reviewed journal and accepts submissions from practitioners, prenatal educators, researchers, and scholars. IJCE welcomes submissions of narratives, commentaries, original research, evidence-based application papers and descriptions of best clinical practices.

The Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE) is a peer-reviewed journal specifically for childbirth educators published by Lamaze International, USA. Through evidence-based articles, the JPE advances the knowledge of aspiring and seasoned educators in any setting—independent or private practice, community, hospital, nursing or midwifery school—and informs educators and other health-care professionals on research that will improve their practice and their efforts to support natural, safe, and healthy birth.

Birth choices:

Birth Choices is your essential guide to pregnancy and birth care, proudly developed and presented by Raising Children Network.

Maternity Choices is a national (Australian) consumer advocacy organisation made up of individuals and groups who share a commitment to improving the care of women in pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. It is non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian.

My Birth Birth can be beautiful. Learn here how to have the kind of birth you wish for. Know your rights in labour. Protect your baby and protect your body. Give yourself choices by learning about the alternatives.

Raising Children Network Australian resource for parenting newborns to teens, including caring for the parent relationship and birth choices; has many short and practical you-tube videos, podcasts, factsheets and articles on a wide range of topics including translations in several languages

My baby is breech For mothers whose baby is in the breech position during the last 1-2 months of pregnancy

Choosing Wisely AustraliaChoosing Wisely Australia® is an initiative that brings the medical community together to improve the quality of healthcare through considering tests, treatments, and procedures where evidence shows they provide no benefit or, in some cases, lead to harm. Led by Australia’s medical colleges and professional societies and facilitated by NPS MedicineWise, Choosing Wisely Australia challenges the way we think about health care, questioning the notion 'more is always better'. It aims to help health consumers ask their doctor 5 key questions while considering tests, procedures and treatment

Pregnancy, Birth and Labour:

Dr Sarah J Buckley, Australian trained family physician/GP, mother of four, and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering ‘gives you the best medical information in easy to understand language, so that you can be informed, supported, nourished and inspired as you embark on your extraordinary journey, bringing new life into the world.' Her articles explain the exquisite symphony of hormones involved during labour, birth and for breastfeeding.

Author/lecturer, doula, childbirth educator, Penny Simkin, PT, has been ‘nurturing positive birth memories since 1968'. She includes talks about pain in labor and the concept ‘when pain becomes suffering', offers many practical strategies and has a special interest in helping midwives around the world understand and help to heal the effects of early sexual abuse on the childbearing woman.

Ina May Gaskin is founder of the remarkable Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee, USA, author and lectures widely to midwives and doctors. Her books, articles and talks aim to reduce fear of birth in US culture, offering ideas for Australians to ponder.

Spinning Babies with Gail Tull: "Gentle techniques and movements can and do improve birth outcomes. Many of these techniques involve postures and activities a thoughtful pregnant woman will feel comfortable doing at home.This is the website where we talk about fetal positioning. That means baby's position in the womb."

Core of Life (COL) is an Australian innovative, 'hands on' pregnancy and parenting program for teens. This research is based on information about pregnancy birth, breastfeeding and early parenting to youth and the wider community.

Popular sites for parents to collect information on a range of topics, blog, etc:

Birth.com.au Australian site for expectant and new parents, ‘from bellies to babies and beyond'.

Pelvic Floor First aims to encourage pelvic floor safe exercises, so that people don't experience unwanted side effects such as bladder and bowel problems. Put your pelvic floor first and stay in control for life.

Includes access to a great app for phone/tablet for safe exercise for pelvic floor.

Breastfeeding:

Online Breastfeeding Cafe "Breastfeeding & parenting info should be easy to find, easy to read and easy to share. So we've done all the hard work for you and put the best resources together in one place. We are backed by the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) with over 50 years of knowledge and expertise. The ABA comes recommended by government, health experts, lactation consultants, doctors, midwives and hospitals. You can be confident that the OBC has you covered when it comes to breastfeeding and parenting!"

Raising Children Network, the Australian government has a series of short film clips related to getting started with breastfeeding, and dealing with common challenges, and practical caring for newborns. These short film clips have also been translated into many other languages.

From Stanford School of Medicine, USA: Jane Morton demonstrates several helpful ways to support breastfeeding through You-tube videos accessed through this site, particularly for hand expressing and maximising milk production. Lots of other useful newborn topics too.

Breastfeeding and You: A Handbook for Antenatal Educators (2nd edition, 2015) by Dr Jane Svensson (Health Department, Australia). The handbook aims to contribute to breastfeeding promotion and support in the key antenatal stage, by providing information and resources on breastfeeding and adult learning to antenatal educators, program managers and health professionals who inform and support expectant women, their partners and families.

Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) is the professional organisation for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), health professionals and members of the public who have an interest in lactation and breastfeeding.

The Baby Friendly Health Initiative has been protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in Australia since 1993. This international program aims to give every baby the best start in life.

Breastfeedinginc in Canada has several short breastfeeding films in English, French and Spanish

Healthtalk Australia links with Healthtalk UK where parents share a range of experiences relating to breastfeeding

Plumtree Baby - USA Julie Olson; blogs with articles on a range of topics including breastfeeding support

Parenting:

Raising Children Network is an Australian resource for parenting newborns to teens, including caring for the parent relationship; has many short and practical you-tube videos, podcasts, factsheets and articles on a wide range of topics, from the Raising Children Network.

Parent Support onlineParent support online is a not for profit website that runs on encouragement and cups of tea. It was created in 2003 by Elly Taylor, a relationship counsellor and mum of three, from Sydney

Children's Hospital, Westmead, NSW, has fact sheets are for educational purposes only. Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

The Wonder Weeks. Studies by van de Rijt and Plooij demonstrated clearly that human babies go through difficult age-linked regression periods ... With each difficult period, babies make a leap in their mental development. Awareness of the wonder weeks will help you see the world the way an infant sees it. As the child grows, displays of emotion (such as crying) tell us the child is summoning reserves of energy and is calling out for help in finding new ways to perceive the changing world. Because van de Rijt and Plooij have discovered predictable stages in the widening of the infant's perceptions and skills, they can enable you, with their superb examples, to recognize the onset of these stressful episodes and to join your child in coping with them.

Professor James J. McKenna's Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory studies how sleeping environments reflect and respond to family needs—in particular how they affect mothers, breastfeeding, and infants' physiological and psychological well-being and development.

Sheila Kitzinger explores aspects of birth, drawing on things that she has learned from women around the world and her research as a social anthropologist into women's experiences of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.

Playgroups Australia may be essential more for the parent than for the newborn child during early weeks, as they provide another source of networking between new parents in your area.

Core of Life (COL) is an Australian innovative, 'hands on' pregnancy and parenting program for teens. This research is based on information about pregnancy birth, breastfeeding and early parenting to youth and the wider community.

Circle of Security and google 'Circle of Security Australia' for state-based Circle of security™ programs. See also links to short animations that explain the Circle of Security theory, appropriate for all parenting groups.

Bringing Baby Home™ programs, based on over 20 years' work by John & Julie Gottmann, especially for expectant and new parents. Google ‘Bringing baby home Australia' to find a course for parents and trainers in Australia.

beyondblue is working to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety in the community by raising awareness and understanding, empowering people to seek help, and supporting recovery, management and resilience; includes areas for CALD (with translated factsheets) LGBTI parents.

Healthtalk Australia is funded by Health Direct and has links with Healthtalk UK; provides links to stories shared by new parents about their emotional experiences

Car safety for children

Pet safety with children

We Are Family Program is a Responsible Pet Ownership education program. It is a guide for nurturing the child and pet relationship from pregnancy to preschool; includes DVD and printed booklets for parents with dogs and cats

Parents with a learning disability:

Healthy Start Parents with learning difficulties can parent well, but it is important that they receive the right support and education matched to their learning needs (University of Sydney).

CALD (culturally and linguisticly diverse, including deaf) parents:

Multicultural Health Communication Service Publications and fact sheets in a large number of languages on a range of health topics. Search under language or topic, eg: breastfeeding, children safety, continence, early childhood, fertility, genetics, hearing, immunisation, infant and child feeding, infant health, maternity, pregnancy and postnatal

Health Translationsenables health practitioners and those working with CALD communities to easily find translated health information sourced from state & national government departments, peak health bodies, hospitals, community health centres and welfare agencies.

CALD Resources for Maternity CALD factsheets relating to pregnancy, labour & birth, postnatal, breastfeeding and neonate; compilation from many Australian sources all located in one place; site also includes links to other resources including generic lesson plans for CALD groups, notes on languages and more!

Mothersafe has some common factsheets in other languages, and provides a counselling service accessed via an interpreter through TIS National by phoning 131 450. Clients should tell the operator the language spoken, as well as the name and phone number of the organisation you wish to contact. There is no charge for interpreter costs when contacting a government-funded service or agency (such as MotherSafe or the Royal Hospital for Women).

Having a baby 160-page book published by NSW health for expectant parents in some other languages

NSW Refugee Health Service's on-line Translated Appointment Reminder Translation Tool allows you to translate appointment details into 17 languages. Just type in the details, then either print or save the PDF. Your form is generated immediately so you can give it to your client at the time you make the appointment. It can also be emailed. The subject headings will be translated but not the details that you fill in. For best results, print it on your organisation's letterhead.

Healthy Start: Hope4Health, M.A.D. & TIME work with newly arrived refugees in order to increase their health literacy.

No FGM in Australia articles and resources for midwives and other doctors concerning female genital mutilation, emphasising that the practice should be condemned, not the people.

Fathers of the baby:

SMS4dads provides new fathers with information and connections to online services through their mobile phones. The text messages with tips, information and links to other services help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner. The expected date of delivery or date of birth, which is entered at enrolment, ensure that the texts are linked to the developmental stage of the baby (from week 12 of the pregnancy until 24 weeks post birth). Many texts use the ‘voice’ of the baby, for example, ‘Talk to me about anything dad. Your words will help my brain development’ others suggest actions ‘Find ways to tell your partner she is doing an amazing job. This could be really important to her’.

MotherSafe provides a comprehensive counselling service and factsheets for women and their healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding (Australia)

Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) is the professional organisation for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), health professionals and members of the public who have an interest in lactation and breastfeeding.

The Baby Friendly Health Initiative has been protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in Australia since 1993. This international program aims to give every baby the best start in life.

beyondblue is working to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety in the community by raising awareness and understanding, empowering people to seek help, and supporting recovery, management and resilience (Australia).

Home Birth Australia is the peak national body for Homebirth in Australia. We are consumers, midwives and related health professionals committed to ensuring the survival of homebirth as a birth option for Australian women.

Maternity Choices is a national (Australian) consumer advocacy organisation made up of individuals and groups who share a commitment to improving the care of women in pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. It is non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian.

National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is UK's largest charity for parents, known for many years for antenatal parenting education programs.

International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) is a professional organisation that supports educators and health care professionals who believe in freedom to make decisions based on knowledge of alternatives in family-centered maternity and newborn care.

The Marcé Society - Australasian Chapteris a branch of the international society for the understanding, prevention and treatment of mental illness related to childbearing; it is multi-disciplinary and provides a forum for exchange of information and ideas between professionals concerned with the welfare of women and their families around the time of childbirth.